Q. In reviewing many of your comments, it is fairly clear that if one were to take advantage of the Postal Service buyout, one would not receive the Social Security bridge supplement until the minimum retirement age is reached. I thought one had to serve one year following the year in which they reached their MRA to receive the bridge. Am I mistaken?
Our specifics are: A postal worker, age 50, with 25 years of credited service, having been offered the buyout. If she does not take it, will she have to work to age 57 or 56 to retire and be able to claim her SS bridge benefits? If she takes it, will her SS bridge benefits begin at age 56 or 57?
A. Because you were born in 1962, your MRA is 56. If you accept an offer of early retirement, that’s the age at which you’ll be eligible for the special retirement supplement. If you don’t take the offer, you would first be eligible to retire and receive the SRS when you are 56 and have 30 years of service.
